Athletic director change in Farmington

Friday

Sep 7, 2012 at 3:15 AM

By Mike Whaleymwhaley@fosters.com

FARMINGTON — There's been an athletic directors change in the Farmington School District. Farmington native Joel Chagnon, who had held that position for the past four years, resigned last month, also leaving his post as director of the Farmington Learning Academy.

The new AD is Rochester's Dan Chick, 23, who earned his masters in athletic administration this past spring at Plymouth State University. Chick is a 2007 graduate of Spaulding High School.

"I resigned to pursue other opportunities," said Chagnon, who worked in the school district for 19 years and is a 1989 Farmington High School graduate. "I wish the athletes of Farmington a lot of luck."

Chagnon said he originally took over the position in 2008 as a one-year favor for then high school principal Mike Lee.

"It turned into four," he said. "I'm happy with the way I left things."

Chick was recently hired as a paraprofessional at the high school and was approved as AD after Chagnon resigned. The AD's position is a part-time post, paying approximately $4,000. Chick earned a sociology degree from the University of New Hampshire, before heading to PSU to pursue his masters.

"It's been an experience getting everything going," Chick said. "I've received a lot of help from the school and from other ADs."

Chick said he interned last school year at Kingswood Regional High School in Wolfeboro as an assistant athletic director under AD Andrea Ogden. That experience, he said, has helped with his transition to the job in Farmington.

One thing he would like to improve in Farmington is the website, which Chick would like to make user friendly.

"We need to get the information out so we can get more interest in the schools and the teams," he said.

"It's a good situation," Chick added. "Some of the programs are improving, like boys soccer, girls soccer and football. I want to be there to help them along."